Rechargeable battery and battery module

Abstract

A rechargeable battery according to the present invention includes an electrode assembly repeating charge and discharge with the movement of ions, a case containing the electrode assembly, and a supporting member surrounding the case and having a plurality of ribs on the outer surface thereof. Further, a battery module according to the present invention includes a plurality of rechargeable batteries, and a frame into which the rechargeable batteries are inserted. The rechargeable batteries include a case and a supporting member in contact with the case, and the supporting member includes a body surrounding the rechargeable battery and a rib protruding outwardly from the body.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A rechargeable battery comprising:
 an electrode assembly repeating charge and discharge with the movement of ions; 
 a case having a length containing the electrode assembly; 
 a supporting member surrounding the case and having a plurality of ribs on the outer surface thereof wherein the height of each of the plurality of ribs changes along the length thereof wherein the supporting member surrounds the case and the ribs have a length substantially equal to the length of the case; and 
 a frame with an opening that is sized so as to receive the case, wherein the plurality of ribs are sized so that the plurality of ribs contact an inner wall of the frame and wherein the plurality of ribs include a supporting rib and a fixing rib that is higher than the supporting rib such that the fixing rib is inserted into a fixing groove in the inner wall of the frame. 
 
     
     
       2. The rechargeable battery of  claim 1 , wherein a heat-conductive adhesive layer is formed between the case and the supporting member. 
     
     
       3. The rechargeable battery of  claim 1 , wherein the supporting member includes a body in contact with the case and wherein each of the plurality of ribs extends along the length of the body. 
     
     
       4. The rechargeable battery of  claim 3 , wherein the body has a shape of a pipe. 
     
     
       5. The rechargeable battery of  claim 3 , wherein a slit extends along the length of the body. 
     
     
       6. The rechargeable battery of  claim 1 , wherein an anodized film is formed on the surface of the supporting member. 
     
     
       7. A battery module comprising:
 a plurality of rechargeable batteries; and 
 a frame having openings with inner walls into which the rechargeable batteries are inserted, 
 wherein the rechargeable batteries include an electrode assembly and a case having a length and a supporting member in contact with the case for each electrode assembly, and 
 wherein the supporting member includes a body surrounding the case and a plurality of ribs protruding outwardly from the body and having a length substantially equal to the length of the case wherein a portion of the ribs are fixing ribs that engage with the inner walls of the frame so as to inhibit rotation of the supporting member in the opening and a portion of the ribs are supporting ribs that contact the inner walls of the frame but do not engage with the frame to inhibit rotation and wherein the supporting ribs and fixing ribs are alternately arranged about the body and wherein the height of each of the plurality of ribs changes along the length thereof wherein the fixing ribs are higher than the supporting ribs such that the fixing ribs are inserted into fixing grooves in the inner walls of the frame. 
 
     
     
       8. The battery module of  claim 7 , wherein the body has a shape of a pipe. 
     
     
       9. The battery module of  claim 7 , wherein a heat-conductive adhesive layer is formed between the case and the body. 
     
     
       10. The battery module of  claim 7 , wherein a fixing protrusion is formed at the fixing ribs. 
     
     
       11. The battery module of  claim 10 , wherein the fixing protrusion is inserted into the fixing grooves. 
     
     
       12. The battery module of  claim 7 , wherein a slit extends along the length of the body. 
     
     
       13. The battery module of  claim 7 , wherein an anodized film is formed on the surface of the supporting member. 
     
     
       14. The battery module of  claim 7 , wherein the height of the plurality of ribs increases from a coolant inflow end to a coolant outflow end. 
     
     
       15. A rechargeable battery assembly, the assembly comprising:
 at least one rechargeable battery electrode assembly; 
 at least one case having a length that defines an interior space and an outer surface, wherein the at least one rechargeable battery electrode is positioned within the interior space of the at least one case; 
 at least one supporting member that is positioned around an outer surface of the case so as to be in thermal contact with the outer surface of the case, wherein the supporting member defines an opening that receives the at least one case so as to surround the case wherein the supporting member has an outer surface that extends around the outer surface of the case that is contoured to define a plurality of ribs so as to increase the surface area of the at least one supporting member to thereby facilitate heat dissipation from heat being generated by the battery and being thermally transmitted to the at least one supporting member wherein the at least one supporting member receives a single case and rechargeable battery electrode assembly; 
 a frame that defines at least one opening that receives the at least one supporting member so as to surround the at least one supporting member wherein the opening has contours that match contours of the outer surface of the supporting member and wherein the at least one opening in the frame is sized so that there is a space between the frame and the supporting member and wherein the at least one opening in the frame defines a coolant inflow end and a coolant outflow end and wherein the contours in the at least one opening and the plurality of ribs are sized so that the spacing between the contours in the at least one opening and the plurality of ribs change in the space between the frame and the supporting member from the coolant inflow end and the coolant outflow end and wherein the height each of the plurality of ribs changes along the length thereof and the length of the plurality of ribs is substantially equal to the length of the case and wherein each of the plurality of ribs contacts inner walls of the at least one opening in the frame wherein at least one of the ribs is a fixing rib and the other ribs are supporting ribs and wherein the fixing rib is higher than the supporting ribs such that the fixing rib is inserted into a fixing groove in the inner walls of the at least one opening in the frame. 
 
     
     
       16. The assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of ribs are formed on the outer surface of the supporting member. 
     
     
       17. The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein fixing rib engages with the frame so as to inhibit rotation of the supporting member within the at least one opening in the frame. 
     
     
       18. The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one opening in the frame includes contours that receive the ribs.